Dubai is well-placed to take the lead on accepting cryptocurrency payments at its hotels and other tourist establishments to help attract more international visitors, its tourism chief said.
The move would be a “great” opportunity for the travel and tourism sector, provided it is well regulated, especially as Dubai's Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority already has frameworks in place for cryptocurrencies, Issam Kazim, chief executive of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, told The National.
“If there is any place that should be taking the lead on this, it should be us,” he said at the Arabian Travel Market event.
“When it comes to being innovative and forward-looking, we don't like to say no to any opportunity that is realistic, we'd like to study it … we have experts in Dubai that we can sit with and understand the pros and cons and how we can launch it and mitigate any potential risks.”
With more travellers and businesses adopting cryptocurrency for travel payments, Dubai is open to facilitate the use of digital currencies.
“If it could be a potential limiting factor to some, then I'd rather remove barriers,” Mr Kazim said. “We'll make sure that we're mitigating all the risk and scrutinising it as much as possible but with an open mind and willingness to adapt and accept it if all the boxes are ticked.”
A handful of hotels in Dubai are already accepting digital currency payments. Palazzo Versace has partnered with Binance to accept payments in cryptocurrencies such as BNB, Bitcoin, and Ethereum for room stays, dining, spa experiences, meetings and events. Similarly, the Manor by JA, located in Al Furjan, has introduced a crypto-to-crypto payment gateway managed by Binance.
Growth in international visitors
Dubai expects to exceed last year's annual international visitor numbers by 3 per cent as it intensifies marketing campaigns abroad to promote the emirate, Mr Kazim said. It attracted 18.7 million international tourists in 2024 − up 9 per cent annually.
“A good, safe assessment would be to keep pace with the growth that we've seen in Q1, that would be a comfortable, realistic target to push towards,” Mr Kazim said.
Dubai recorded a 3 per cent annual increase in international visitor numbers to 5.31 million in the first three months of 2025, according to government data. Western Europe was its biggest source market with 1.15 million visitors, accounting for 22 per cent of the overall share.
Dubai, home to long-haul giant Emirates airline and the world's busiest international airport, is also shifting its focus from being a transfer hub and single-visit destination.
The emirate is seeking to attract more repeat visitors by introducing a five-year multi-entry tourist visa, doubling the number of hotel beds in the last decade and adding more airline capacity.
The number of international visitors making return trips to the city within a year currently stands at 25 per cent of the total and that rate is expected to continue in 2025, Mr Kazim said.
“Today we're looking to make them residents of Dubai to work here, live here and retire here,” he said.
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
About Krews
Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: January 2019
Number of employees: 10
Sector: Technology/Social media
Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support
WHAT%20IS%20'JUICE%20JACKING'%3F
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Overview
Cricket World Cup League Two: Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (Turf) 1,400m. Winner: Al Ajeeb W’Rsan, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Jaci Wickham (trainer).
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,400m racing. Winner: Mujeeb, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 90,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Onward, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown Prep Rated Conditions (PA) Dh 125,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle.
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (T) 1,600m. Winner: AF Arrab, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 90,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Irish Freedom, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
RESULT
Liverpool 4 Southampton 0
Jota (2', 32')
Thiago (37')
Van Dijk (52')
Man of the match: Diogo Jota (Liverpool)
If%20you%20go
%3Cp%3EThere%20are%20regular%20flights%20from%20Dubai%20to%20Kathmandu.%20Fares%20with%20Air%20Arabia%20and%20flydubai%20start%20at%20Dh1%2C265.%3Cbr%3EIn%20Kathmandu%2C%20rooms%20at%20the%20Oasis%20Kathmandu%20Hotel%20start%20at%20Dh195%20and%20Dh120%20at%20Hotel%20Ganesh%20Himal.%3Cbr%3EThird%20Rock%20Adventures%20offers%20professionally%20run%20group%20and%20individual%20treks%20and%20tours%20using%20highly%20experienced%20guides%20throughout%20Nepal%2C%20Bhutan%20and%20other%20parts%20of%20the%20Himalayas.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
THREE
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